Heater



May 18, 1937. W L, MCCOMBS ET AL 2,080,949

HEATER Filed Aug. 28, 1935 l wu wvtoffl/.f MUM@ Cambs C'. L. ,Sheesley ?atented May 18, 1937 lTED STATES PATENT orner.

HEATER application August 28, i935, serial No. 38,334

2 Claims.

This invention relates to heaters, the primary object of the invention being to provide a heater of the portable type wherein steam is generated and circulated through heating tubes, in such .3 a way that air blown against the tubes will become heated and caused to circulate throughout the room area.

An important object of the invention is to pro'- vide a heater of this character employing main 1u heating tubes arranged in such a way that steam will be rapidly generated and the operation of the heater will be substantially instantaneous.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heater wherein a liquid or gaseous fuel burner l5 may be employed as the heating element of the device, eliminating the use of coal, coke or other hard fuels commonly used in stoves and furnaces.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds,

4 2O the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out-in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of 25 parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. i

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a heater constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the heater includes a body portion or cabinet indicated generally by the reference character 5, the body portion being supported by means of the legs 6 in such a way that a space is provided between the bottom of the bodyportion and the surface on which the body portion is mounted.

40 As clearly shown by the drawing,'the front and rear walls of the body portion are open so that air may be forced through the body portion to be heated by contact of the air with the vapor or steam tubes 1.

45 These steam tubes 1 have their upper ends connected with the tank 8 mounted in the upper end of the body portion, while the lower ends of the tubes 1 connect with the tank 9, mounted in the lower end of the body portion, the tubes 50 establishing communication between the tanks. 'I'he lower tank 9 is larger than the tank 8 and contains water to be generated into steam.

The reference character I0 designates a. plurality of main heating tubes, each heating tube .s comprising an upwardly inclined end II that (ci. 12s-101) extends into the front wall of the tank 9, at' a point above the water level in ,the tank 9. The lower end of each tube I0 has connection with the tank 9 at a point near the bottom ofthe tank 9, so that the horizontal portions I2 Yof these 5 heating tubes, will contain water at all times.

The burner in the present showing is indicated by the reference character I3 and is designed for burning gas. However it is to be understood that a burner of the liquid fuel type may be used 10 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Above the heating tubes I0, is a hood I4 which traps the heat moving upwardly by the tubes I0 to thereby hold and further heat the water in the tubes.

Condensation conduits I5 are preferably located at opposite sides of the cabinet, that is adjacent the side walls thereof, and the upper ends of these conduits communicate with the upper tank 8 while the lower ends thereof communicate with the bottom tank 9 at a point below the normal water level therein. Steam condensing into water in the upper tank 8 is conveyed back to the lower tank 9 through the con- 25 duits I5 whose lower ends are normally submerged in the water of the tank 9. A lling spout may be tapped into one of the conduits I5 to facilitate the replenishlng of'water in the lower tank 9. Fumes or products of combustion are carried off through the pipe I6.

As the water in the tubes I0 becomes heated, steam is generated in the tubes I0 which passes upwardly into the space above the water level in tank 9. The steam now rises in the tubes 1, heating the tubes. Air from the electric fan I1, that is supported by the front wall of the body portion, is directed against the tubes 1 and the heat of the tubes is absorbed by the air, which is blown into the room, heating the room.

It will of course be understood that automatic controlled means such as a thermostat 22, commonly used with heating systems will be connected with the burner, automatically operating the burner to maintain an even room temperature. An air release valve indicated at I8 will release air displaced by the water entering the tanks.

A safety valve indicated at I9 is provided to relieve the tanks and tubes of excessive steam 50 pressure. Suitable gauge 20 and 2I are provided for indicating the quantity of water and steam pressure within the tanks and tubes.

What is claimed is:

1. A room heater comprising a cabinet including top, side, and rear walls and having its front side open and also having a relatively smaller opening in the rear wall, upper and lower tanks within the cabinet adjacent the front side there'- of, a plurality of steam tubes connecting the upper and lower tanks and providing a heating grid at the front of the cabinet, a hood Within the cabinet between the rear of the lower tank and the rear wall of the cabinet and forming a heating chamber, a plurality of steam generating tubes located in the heating chamber beneath the hood, each of said tubes having a horizontal portion communicating with the lower tank near the bottom thereof and also having an upwardly inclined portion for communicating with said lower tank near the upper part thereof, means for supplying water'to the lower tank, means for indicating the water level in the lower tank whereby said water level may be maintained between the open ends of said tubes, a heating element disposed below said steam generating tubes, and air blast generating means mounted on the rear wall of the cabinet in line with the opening therein and above the said hood whereby air may be drawn through said opening and entrain convection currents rising from said hood to force the same through the grid formed by the steam tubes at the front of the cabinet.

2. A room heater comprising a cabinet having top, side and rear walls defining an open front, said rear wall having an opening of less area than the opening dened by the top and side walls at the front of the cabinet, a steam tank located adjacent the top wall of the cabinet, a water tank located below the steam tank, both of the water tank below the normal water levelthereof, one of said conduits serving to receive water, a lling spout for supplying water to one of said condensation conduits, a hood coextensive with the space between the water tank and the side and rear walls of the cabinet and cooperating with the rear wall of the.water tank and the sides and the rear wall of the cabinet to provide a heating chamber, a plurality of steam generating tubes in said chamber and each having a substantially horizontal portion communicating with the water tank below the normal water level thereof and the other end communicating with said tank above the water level thereof, heating means below said steam generating tubes, a fan mounted on the rear wall of the cabinet adjacent the opening therein, said fan being located above the hood and adapted to project its generated air blast through the grid at the front of the cabinet and thereby carry convection currents rising from the hood through the grid and to also pick up heat from the grid for projection into the room to be heated.

A WILLIAM L. MCCOMBS.

CHARLES L. SHEESLEY. 

